Cloud watched Zack walk wearily from a few steps behind .The two of them had been walking for the last five hours straight, despite Cloud's instance that the other man stop and take a break. Zack insisted that he was fine. He had told him he had waited five years for this day and he would be damned in a few bullets held him back. The idiot.
Cloud could see it was wearing the other man down. He had contemplated jumping the other man, forcing him to rest. He would have hours ago if it wasn't for the fact Zack was a first class soldier. He had seen what happened when you snuck up on a wounded first class. It handed bloody and with the loss of a hand. Cloud felt his hands tingle at the memory. Perhaps in a few more hours when Zack was truly drained he could take him down.
"Stop staring spiky, your eyes are drilling holes in the back of my head."
Cloud continued to glare at his friends head without comment. At this rate the man would be dead when they finally reached his prized beloved. They had reached the boarder some time ago. Now they were searching for what remained of their shattered lives, for Zack that meant tracking down a certain flower stand.
Zack suddenly came to a stop, his hands moving to his hips as he surveyed the street before him.
"Do you think she would have moved?"
Cloud came to a halt beside his friend and shrugged.
"It's been five years….. something could have happened I suppose."
Zack sighed shooting a glance over at the shorter blonde.
"The answer you were supposed to give was 'no she will be right where you left her'"
Cloud raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry."
Zack patted his shoulder affectionately.
"It's alright, but don't let it happen again."
Cloud rolled his eyes as the raven haired man began to walk again. Screw tackling the man, he could just shoot his kneecaps out.
"We should rest."
Zack shook his head, eyeing store fronts as they passed them.
"We'll rest when we're dead."
Cloud felt anger boil up in him at his friend's offhanded comment. Rest when they were dead, did the idiot not realize that only hours ago he was?
"So I guess you got all the rest you needed when your heart stooped up on that hill you ass!"
Zack stopped abruptly quickly wheeling around to face his friend. He put his hands out in a sign of surrender.
"Wow, calm down there Spiky."
He quickly walked back over to where Cloud stood placing a hand on his friends shoulder, frowning as he felt the tense muscles beneath.
"Do you need to rest?" He asked worriedly.
Cloud let out an exasperated sigh, shrugging of Zack's hand as he began to walk again.
"Fine." He spoke angrily. "If you die I suppose I can just drag your lifeless ass to your girlfriend's door."
Zack smiled broadly taking a few quick steps to fall into step beside his friend.
"That's the spirit!"
Cloud groaned. He should have drugged Zack when he had had the chance.
"By the way spiky ….. why this sudden obsession with my ass."
Cloud groaned again. This was going to be a long day. Suddenly his eyes caught sight of a rotted sign. As he walked closer it appeared to be part of a store front. The store itself looked trashed, rot and mold covered the floor. His eye landed on a red for sale sign taped to the front window.
'We're going to open a store that does everything'
Cloud stared farther into the store. He could almost see himself and Zack walking around fixing the shop up.
"Are we really going to open a store?"
Zack glanced over his shoulder at the younger man. He had noticed that Cloud had stopped following him.
"What was that?"
Cloud read the for sale sign, his eyes taking in the price. Pretty expensive for such a run down piece of real-estate.
"On the truck, you said we were going to open a shop."
Zack frowned. That sounded familiar but he could not recall details. Did Cloud really want to open up a shop with him? He shrugged.
"Sure." He said happily. "We'll open up a store."
He walked closer to his friend, his eyes finally seeing what had caught Cloud's attention.
"We'll buy this shop."
Cloud quickly turned to glance at his friend.
"What, how? We have no money."
Zack smiled wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulders.
"That's what you think."
He turned Cloud around and began walking down the street again. Cloud stood still for a moment reviewing the conversation in his head before running to catch up with his friend.
When his friend refused to elaborate Cloud questioned.
"What money Zack?"
Zack turned his head to his friend a blank expression n his face.
"What money?" Cloud repeated.
"Oh."
Zack smiled broadly.
"I had Aerith cash my paycheck and put my money in a joint account."
Cloud raised an eyebrow.
"You gave Aerith all your money?" He asked surprised.
Zack nodded his head.
"We wanted to save up enough money for our wedding."
Cloud smiled.
"Married?" He repeated.
Zack nodded.
"Also need to buy a ring."
Cloud slapped his friend in his back.
"You need a house too."
Zack came to a stop suddenly. Cloud frowned.
"What's wrong?"
Zack's eyes were trained to something in front of them. Cloud followed his friend's eyes smiling as they came to land on a flower stand. A lone figure stood by the stand, her back facing the two of them. A tall brunet woman dressed all in pink. Zack appeared to not be breathing.
"She looks just like I remember." He breathed.
Cloud smiled. He nudged his friend forward.
"Talk to her."
Zack nodded, his hands moving to straighten his uniform. It was a futile gesture considering his uniform was covered in blood. Slowly he approached the woman a hand extending to touch her shoulder. He paused suddenly. Something did not look right.
The women sensing somebody behind her quickly turned.
Zack could not help the frown that formed on his lips as the face of a stranger greeted him. The women smiled kindly at him.
Suddenly a musical voice reached his ear.
"Zachary?"